Picture of the Day (Dial-up internet users enter at own risk!)

[Makai Guy]

But you say this was smog and not just mountain mist/fog?!

The guides claimed it was all naturally occurring and is worse due to higher humidity since the huge Three Gorges Dam has backed up the river. I don't doubt humidity is a contributing factor -- it WAS pretty humid. But I live in an area in S Carolina that is plenty humid in the summer time and our visibility is never as poor as this. We only had one day the whole trip when one could not look directly into the sun with no discomfort. If you could see the sun at all, it was just a dull copper disk.

How many different places/sites did you work in during 2 weeks -- one can never see it all, but did your tour give you a good taste of the gamut of China or would another week have been better? China is on our 'to do' list, but I guess it's a trip which requires a lot of planning due to the distance and logistics.

Here's the trip we took: Click link. I'm sure longer would have been better, but they really crammed a lot into those days and we were beat by the time it was over. I really try to take things in when I travel like this and after about 10-12 days I've really absorbed about all I can handle.

 

[HatTrick]

Inside the Capitol Building

 

[MULTIZ321]

HatTrick,

Thanks for the great pics!

Richard

 

[SueDonJ]

We spent the weekend in Niagara Falls (gorgeous, much more than I thought, can't wait to go back!) and Toronto for the RedSox:

American Falls

Canadian Falls

Big Papi and Little Papi

The Walking Wounded

 

[RDB]

Daytona Beach

From our last trip to Florida.

This picture was rated 30th of 877 entries in the contest, "Share your Best of America Photos" at Smarter Travel.

 

[RDB]

Open Spaces

This was taken as we departed Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah. It placed 25th of 877 entries in the contest, "Share your Best of America Photos" at Smarter Travel.

 

[Elli]

This was taken as we departed Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah. It placed 23th of 877 entries in the contest, "Share your Best of America Photos" at Smarter Travel.

Great shots, RDB, I get the e-mails from Smarter Travel all the time and did look at quite a few of the pictures in their various contests, but didn't pay too much attention to the name of the photographers.

 

[RDB]

Great shots, RDB, I get the e-mails from Smarter Travel all the time and did look at quite a few of the pictures in their various contests, but didn't pay too much attention to the name of the photographers.

Thanks Elli,

This contest just closed on the 18th.

Very interesting to look though the entries to find places others found great.
I find places to keep in mind that I never knew existed.

Robert

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Wukoki Ruins

near Flagstaff, Arizona

**************

two versions of the same photo

**************

 

[HatTrick]

Oahu Scenes

 

[pwrshift]

How did your son get there...and where were you taking the picture from. Amazing.

Brian

DS at Grand Canyon

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

How did your son get there...and where were you taking the picture from. Amazing.

Brian

We were at the east entrance, and hiked down a little way below the main lookout area to find a place to sit and eat lunch. The formation was below us, and DS decided to scale it.

 

[Timeshare Von]

Overland Park, KS 7/24/10

Taken about an hour after a pretty severe thunderstorm had rolled through . . . and we could finally start the USYSA National Championship Game for the U19 Boys.

Taken with my point n shoot Canon SD600 . . . no editting or photoshop done.

 

[Timeshare Von]

Wukoki Ruins

near Flagstaff, Arizona

We love that park!!!

 

[RDB]

Plenty of room, this flight.

A bit of our 11hr Space-A flight from Andrews AFB to Hickam AFB. :whoopie:

Nap time.

Time for a strole.

 

[JoAnn]

OK, Robert.,.....how did you get on THAT flight? I know you are retired service, so imagine that's how you got it. The other thing....Carrol should have had her seat belt..or floor belt on! She could have been hurt if the ride got bouncy. But glad you made it OK.

 

[SueDonJ]

Great shots in this thread since the last time I looked - Hattrick, love the palm tree with the geometrics in the background, and RDB, love hearing about the contest and congratulations on your placements!

If anyone's interested there was a photo contest advertised on the back page of this morning's Boston Globe "g" magazine:

"Show Us Your BEST SHOT Photo Contest"
"Send us your best concert photo and you could win -
- 6 Tickets to see Tom Petty 8/19 at the Comcast Center (Mansfield, MA)
- Tailgating Parking Spot in premium lot
- Tailgating Grill
- Hot dogs, burgers, chips and soda for 6
- Access Passes to VIP Club in venue

Enter to win at boston.com/bestshot"

 

[geoand]

It has been a long time. Hope I remember how2

Pano of Mt Rainier taken from White Pass Highway. Southeast side of the mountain.

 

[HatTrick]

Hattrick, love the palm tree with the geometrics in the background

Thanks! The shadows are on the Rainbow Tower as seen from the Lagoon Tower at Hilton Hawaiian Village.

 

[HatTrick]

Pano of Mt Rainier taken from White Pass Highway.

Nicely done!

 

[geoand]

Nicely done!

Thanks for the kind words.

I must admit that I have unfairly taken advantage of this thread by enjoying it and not giving enough thanks to those who post pics.

I truly do enjoy the photos and thank all for their contributions.

 

[geoand]

Another pano

This pano was taken from just below the summit at Chinook Pass.

 

[Passepartout]

This pano was taken from just below the summit at Chinook Pass.

WOW! WOW! WOW! (needed 10 characters)...Jim

 

[jerseyfinn]

Thought I would post some flamenco images I take during our visit to Marriott Playa Andaluza resort in Estepona Spain. I got lucky when they move the show outside to the restaurant terrace which has much better light and space than inside the restaurant. The show starts @ 8:30P while there is still plenty of ambient light ( sunset in July is closer to 10PM out here ). This allows me to shoot without a flash and work in continuous mode to grab some nice shots. Of course I'm working ISO 400 at 1 /50th sec which means I usually do not grab crystal clear shots, but that was the trade-off for getting dynamic imagery.

They move out some tables and lay a dance floor which sits astride a wind break canvas which frames a nice BG behind the dancers. Tables surround the dance floor and I'm kneeling on the floor at the front edge grabbing these shots.


_________________

As the performance goes on, the light subtly diminishes & I'm working 1/30th to 1/40th as I'm working aperture mode trying to hold on to a little DOF in the moving shots. I discover that I catch a lot of stop shots with motion in them which is quite pleasing.

_____________________

I shoot two shows during the two weeks we are there. I learn from my mistakes the first week & figure out the better place to shoot from. I really love my Canon G-11 as I could tweak the EV to try to get better skin tones in the fading light while working via the LCD viewer to react to the dancer's moves and position. That backdrop was very photogenic as I try to frame shots, hold the camera steady. watch the performance ( it was electrifying ) and keep my leg from falling asleep beneath me.

_________________________

I shoot this image the first week from a different perspective. The images in this set has a very warm color cast to them & I correct this in Photoshop using a blue filter & doing a hue adjustment on the skin tones and desaturating the BG. Some of the images fro this shot require working with selections and tweaking levels -- much more work than I usually do with Photoshop, but still very satisfying as each work session with Photoshop adds to your insight and skill set as you address new problems/issues.

________________________

One final image just as it came out of the camera with only some cropping. I could tell that the dancers were curious about me as they were the same dancers both weeks ( using different costumes ) and they were trying to figure me out as I'm holding the camera at floor level shooting up and moving the camera to different POVs. I'm about 18 inches from the guy's foot here. Both they and I had a good time. When they get to the end of the show, they always pull a few folks out of the audiance to dance ( usually badly, which I'm very qualified at ). The gal was motioning to me at the end, but when I try to stand up, I almost topple over as my leg is now asleep. I hobble back to our table and order another glass of wine to heel my leg.​

Hope you guys enjoy the flamenco gallery.

Barry

 

[HatTrick]

Of course I'm working ISO 400 at 1 /50th sec which means I usually do not grab crystal clear shots, but that was the trade-off for getting dynamic imagery.

Good decision, Barry. The shots convey a lot of energy.